Hawks and Doves

My “Morning Joe” take on what Grover Norquist and the Republican leadership could do now.

MARK HALPERIN: Raising taxes on the wealthiest has been a huge winning issue for the Democrats for a long time. Republicans did buckle to that. Grover [Norquist]’s associated with tax increase and the pledge. He also talks a lot about spending. And for conservatives, now, who want to move on from this PR problem for them, they got to start talking about spending. They have to say what they want to cut. And, I think, Grover, and John Boehner and Paul Ryan and other conservatives should now say, “You know what? We keep saying the problem is spending.” That’s what they should move on to. They should have the courage of their convictions and be willing to lose their jobs to propose huge spending cuts, if that’s what they want.

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MARK HALPERIN: They know that once you start being specific about these cuts they’re going to be unpopular. That’s why I say now’s the time. This is their thing. Now’s the time. What matters is spending. Let’s do it. They’re going to have to name them. The White House is going to let them name them first.